Talent management challenges in African tech start-ups: A literature review on attraction, development, and retention

Rapid technological innovation, market uncertainties, inadequate compensation, and talent shortages pose unique challenges to attracting, developing, and retaining high-quality employees. Therefore, the study uses a structured desk-based literature review and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach to analyze 20 relevant articles to synthesize the main challenges faced in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent for tech start-ups in Africa over 7 years (from 2018 to 2024). Based on thematic review of the peer-reviewed studies, the findings reveal that cultural and institutional barriers, resource constraints and informal human resources practices, conceptual ambiguity, lack of inclusivity and strategic alignment, misalignment between talent management (TM) and business strategy, inequitable access to tent identification, and retention challenges are key TM challenges in African tech start-ups. Therefore, policy makers should institute measures that promote effective stakeholder engagement to address these TM challenges to ensure tech start-ups grow, gain competitive advantage, and are sustained over the long term.